Extraction methods and apparatus

Abstract

The present invention relates to hydrocarbon extraction method and apparatus therefor.

1 . A method for cleaning a vessel contaminated with a sludge comprising the steps of: 
 i) generating a vacuum in a conduit;    ii) contacting said sludge with said conduit;    iii) extracting said sludge via said conduit; and    iv) collecting the sludge.    
   
   
       2 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum is generated pneumatically.  
   
   
       3 . A method as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the vacuum is generated by a pump.  
   
   
       4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , comprising the step of contacting the sludge with a solvent.  
   
   
       5 . A method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the solvent comprises a citrus oil extract.  
   
   
       6 . A method as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the solvent is orange oil.  
   
   
       7 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sludge is heated to a temperature in the range of 40-90° C.  
   
   
       8 . A method as claimed in  claim 7 , wherein the sludge is heated to a temperature in the range of 65-75° C.  
   
   
       9 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the sludge comprises one or more of the group comprising asphalt, bitumen, crude oil and heavy oil.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus for cleaning a vessel contaminated with a sludge, comprising means for generating a vacuum, a conduit connected to said means for generating a vacuum adapted to extend into the interior of the vessel from said means for generating a vacuum, and to extract the hydrocarbon and means for collecting the extracted hydrocarbon.  
   
   
       11 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the vacuum is generated pneumatically.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , further comprising means for heating the hydrocarbon before and/or during extraction.  
   
   
       13 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein the means for heating the hydrocarbon comprises a microwave emitter or heated oil.  
   
   
       14 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein said means for heating the hydrocarbon is disposed adjacent to an opening in the conduit.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the apparatus is portable.  
   
   
       16 . (canceled)  
   
   
       17 . A method for extracting hydrocarbons from waste material comprising the steps of: 
 i) identifying waste material with an economically valuable or environmentally hazardous concentration of hydrocarbons;    ii) treating the waste material to render the hydrocarbons more susceptible to extraction;    iii) extracting the hydrocarbons from the waste material;    iv) optionally further processing the extracted hydrocarbons into a usable product.    
   
   
       18 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the hydrocarbons in the waste material comprise more than 20% hydrocarbon oil by volume.  
   
   
       19 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the treatment of the waste material to render the hydrocarbons more susceptible to extraction comprises the use of heat and/or solvents.  
   
   
       20 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the extracted hydrocarbons are mixed with bitumen.  
   
   
       21 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the hydrocarbons are heated to a temperature of 40 90° C.  
   
   
       22 . A method as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein the hydrocarbons are heated to a temperature of 65-95° C.  
   
   
       23 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the average percentage of hydrocarbons by volume in the waste material is at least 50%.  
   
   
       24 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the hydrocarbon is heated to a depth of between 20-60 cm from the upper surface of the sludge.  
   
   
       25 . A method as claimed in  claim 24 , wherein the hydrocarbon is heated to a depth of between 40-45 cm.  
   
   
       26 . A method as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the waste material comprises one or more from the group comprising asphalt, bitumen, heavy fuel oil, crude oil, animal fats and vegetable oil.  
   
   
       27 . A method for extracting hydrocarbons from solid waste material comprising the steps of: 
 i) mixing the solid waste material with a solvent;    ii) extracting the majority of the hydrocarbons from the mixture;    iii) heating the remaining waste hydrocarbons in the mixture to a temperature of at least 40° C.;    iv) extracting the remaining waste hydrocarbons;    v) optionally further processing the extracted hydrocarbons into a usable product.    
   
   
       28 . A method for extracting hydrocarbons from sludge comprising the steps of: 
 i) heating the waste hydrocarbons to a temperature of at least 40° C.;    ii) extracting the majority of the hydrocarbons    iii) mixing the remaining waste hydrocarbons with a solvent;    iv) extracting the remaining waste hydrocarbons;    v) optionally further processing the extracted hydrocarbons into a usable product.    
   
   
       29 . A method for extracting hydrocarbons from sludge comprising the steps of: 
 i) identifying sludge comprising more than 20% hydrocarbons by volume;    ii) heating said waste hydrocarbons to a temperature of at least 40° C.;    iii) extracting said heated waste hydrocarbons;    iv) optionally further processing the extracted hydrocarbons into a usable product.    
   
   
       30 . An apparatus for extracting recyclable hydrocarbons from waste hydrocarbons contaminated with aggregate comprising: 
 means for heating said hydrocarbons to a temperature of at least 40° C. and means for extracting and/or transferring said heated waste hydrocarbon to a storage means.    
   
   
       31 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 , wherein the means for heating comprises a coil or a bank of tubes having a circulating liquid of thermal oil/vapour/gas or electric elements.  
   
   
       32 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the means for heating comprises oil filled tubes.  
   
   
       33 . A method for extracting hydrocarbons from solid waste material comprising the steps of: 
 i) mixing the solid waste material with a solvent;    ii) extracting the hydrocarbons from the mixture;    iii) optionally further processing the extracted hydrocarbons into a usable product.    
   
   
       34 . A method as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the solid waste material comprises bitumen, asphalt and compacted oily sand.  
   
   
       35 . A method as claimed in  claim 33 , wherein the solvent comprises one or more selected from the group comprising aqueous solvent, non-aqueous solvent and water.  
   
   
       36 . A method as claimed in  claim 35 , wherein the solvent is an orange oil derivative, aliphatic hydrocarbon, aromatic hydrocarbon or a chlarciated solvent.  
   
   
       37 . An apparatus for filtering air said apparatus comprising a plurality of chambers which communicate with one another in series, such that air can pass from one chamber to another, each of which comprises means for generating a vortex.  
   
   
       38 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 37 , wherein the means for generating a vortex comprises at least one conical plate.  
   
   
       39 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein the at least one conical plate comprises a drainage channel.  
   
   
       40 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 38 , wherein the at least one conical plate is perforated, solid or slatted.  
   
   
       41 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 37 , comprising means for externally spraying the plurality of chambers with cooling fluid.  
   
   
       42 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein the means for externally spraying the chambers comprise spray nozzles.  
   
   
       43 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 41  wherein the cooling fluid comprises water, hydrocarbon solvent or liquefied gas.  
   
   
       44 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 37 , wherein the number of chambers in the apparatus is in the range of 5 to 15.  
   
   
       45 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 44  wherein the number of chambers is in the range of 7 to 9.  
   
   
       46 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 41  wherein the first chamber is not cooled with external cooling fluid.  
   
   
       47 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 37 , wherein the height to diameter ratio of the chamber is in the range of 4:1 to 6:1.  
   
   
       48 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 47 , wherein the height to diameter ratio of the chamber is 5:1.  
   
   
       49 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 37  wherein the means for generating a vortex is dispersed with each chamber at the same height from the bottom of the chamber or linearly staggered.  
   
   
       50 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 37  wherein each chamber comprises an inlet and an outlet.  
   
   
       51 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 50 , wherein the means for generating a vortex is disposed in the range 5 to 35 cm below the inlet pipe.  
   
   
       52 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 50  wherein the outlet pipe is disposed above the inlet pipe.  
   
   
       53 . An air conditioning system comprising an apparatus as claimed in  claim 37 .  
   
   
       54 . An apparatus for filtering gas comprising one or more contaminants, said apparatus comprising a plurality of chambers which communicate with one another in series, such that gas can pass from one chamber to another, at least one of the chambers comprising an inlet port, an outlet port, an internal baffle and a receiving region below the baffle for receiving contaminants, wherein said outlet port is disposed above said baffle such that gas can pass from one chamber to another whilst contaminants are retained in the receiving region of the chamber.  
   
   
       55 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 54  wherein the baffle is shaped to generate a vortex.  
   
   
       56 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 55 , wherein the baffle is conical in shape.  
   
   
       57 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 54 , wherein the contaminants are solids and/or liquids.  
   
   
       58 . An apparatus as claimed in  claim 54 , wherein the contaminants contain one or more hydrocarbons.  
   
   
       59 . A method of filtering air comprising the use of an apparatus as claimed in  claim 37 .  
   
   
       60 . A method of extraction as claimed in  claim 17  comprising between steps I) and ii) a method as claimed  claim 1 .  
   
   
       61 . A method of extraction as claimed in  claim 1  subsequently comprising the method of  claim 27 .  
   
   
       62 . A method of extraction as claimed in  claim 28  wherein steps I) and/or ii) comprise the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       63 . A method of extraction as claimed in  claim 29  wherein steps ii) and/or iii) comprise the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       64 . A method of extraction as claimed in  claim 1  subsequently comprising a method as claimed in  claim 33 .  
   
   
       65 . A method of extraction as claimed in  claim 17  subsequently comprising the method of  claim 59 .  
   
   
       66 . A method of extraction as claimed in  claim 27  subsequently comprising the method of  claim 59 .  
   
   
       67 . A method of extraction as claimed in  claim 28  subsequently comprising the method of  claim 59 .  
   
   
       68 . A method of extraction as claimed in  claim 29  subsequently comprising the method of  claim 59 .  
   
   
       69 . A method of extraction in  claim 33  subsequently comprising the method of  claim 59 .  
   
   
       70 . A method of extraction as claimed in  claim 60  further comprising the method of  claim 59 .  
   
   
       71 . (canceled)  
   
   
       72 . (canceled)  
   
   
       73 . (canceled)  
   
   
       74 . (canceled)  
   
   
       75 . An extraction system comprising apparatus as claimed in  claim 10  further comprising an apparatus as claimed in  claim 30 .  
   
   
       76 . An extraction system comprising apparatus as claimed in  claim 30  further comprising an apparatus as claimed in  claim 37 .  
   
   
       77 . An extraction system comprising apparatus as claimed in  claim 10  further comprising an apparatus as claimed in  claim 30  and/or an apparatus as claimed in  claim 37 .  
   
   
       78 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  comprising the method of  claim 59.